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Partnering in eLearning: The Purdue Experience
At Purdue, members of the campus community such
as this researcher, pictured in the Humanities, Social
Science and Education Library, will soon see the
benefits of integrating an eLearning system and a
digital library system for increased access to
information. Photo courtesy of Purdue Libraries
Office of Development.
Academic libraries worldwide are working to integrate institutional learning management systems with library resources to better serve users. Library and ITaP (Information Technology at Purdue) staff at Purdue University told Library Connect how they are approaching integration. Collaboration (internal and external) is a key element of their strategy.
LC: What made you decide to focus on eLearning integration?
Cheryl Kern-Simirenko, Associate Dean, Purdue University Libraries: We believe that eLearning integration will benefit our faculty and students by providing optimum access to, and delivery of, information. We’re committed to employing the latest technology to achieve this aim so, as soon as we heard there was an enterprise version of WebCT™’s eLearning system and that ITaP had begun to implement it, we felt it was essential that the Purdue Libraries’ resources be there within the learning management system. Faculty and student use of WebCT Vista will expand dramatically when the enterprise edition is in place, and we felt this was a strategic opportunity.
LC: How will the integration work in practice?
Kern-Simirenko: The ENCompass system we use for managing, searching and linking the Purdue Libraries’ collections will interact with WebCT Vista to share resources through persistent URLs and links between the two interoperable software systems. In other words, students will be able to access the Purdue Libraries’ resources from within the eLearning environment, and it will be easier for faculty to provide quality library resources within their online course setting. A single sign-on means one authorization will put the user into their course instance where they will find everything they need.
Priscilla Geahigan, Consumer & Family Sciences and Psychological Sciences Librarian: Direct access to databases through WebCT will save researchers time. A single point of access eliminates many steps - looking in the course management system, going to the library catalog, opening up a new browser to search electronic resources, etc. In one step, all these resources are available in a familiar and comfortable environment - the course management system.
LC: Who’s involved in the project, and how will it be implemented?
Kern-Simirenko: The project team includes Purdue Libraries faculty and staff and colleagues from the Information Technology at Purdue group with expertise in eLearning tools. In Endeavor and WebCT we found external partners who share our vision and were willing to work with us.
Michael Witt, Lead Systems Administrator, IT Department, Purdue Libraries: We work with the librarians to look for on-campus collaboration projects that align with institutional goals and this project was certainly one of them.
Deborah Whitten, Director of E-learning Technologies, ITaP: As early implementers of the WebCT Vista academic enterprise system, this project gave us a unique opportunity to work with the Purdue Libraries and vendors. Part of the success is that the vendors are willing to work together - this wouldn’t be possible if WebCT and Endeavor Information Systems didn’t collaborate well.
Luke Knowley, Project Manager, E-learning Technologies, ITaP: There is tremendous potential to enhance the learning environment on campus and this is an exciting project to be part of because it does just that. Systems like ENCompass can alleviate the drudgery of research, and the integration with WebCT Vista makes information available within the learning environment in any setting at any time - delivering anytime, anywhere learning.
LC: What particular benefits will eLearning integration bring to Purdue?
Kern-Simirenko: Benefits for the campus community are numerous. Integration will save time and money and enable the Purdue Libraries to deliver facilitated, rather than mediated service. If we can embed licensed electronic information within course instances, we believe we can also optimize fair use and be in compliance with the TEACH Act. In effect, the courseware will become our e-reserves, with faculty able to organize their own e-resources, and with the Purdue Libraries providing digital versions of print items as appropriate.
It also makes sound financial sense for the students. Libraries work hard to negotiate rights to electronic resources. We don’t want students to pay for information through a coursepack vendor when that information has already been licensed for their use by the Purdue Libraries.
Integration will help all our users to be proficient and productive. In academic libraries, we have always talked a lot about faculty productivity, but in today’s world, student productivity is just as important.
eLearning integration is also the logical continuation of other cooperative projects we have worked on with ITaP.
Witt: Yes, we’ve already worked together on a number of successful projects - campus wireless, central authentication and remote access - and this project follows the successful creation of our Digital Learning Collaboratory. Located in the undergraduate library, this multimedia lab provides cutting-edge resources for student research projects while facilitating integrated learning of information literacy and technology literacy. Computers are loaded with advanced technology software programs, and the latest equipment such as digital cameras and scanners is available. Designed to foster an active, collaborative learning environment, it encourages creative projects that help to prepare students with real-world experience.
LC: What factors can influence the success of collaborative projects like this one?
Witt: Starting with a good idea is key and having one or more people advocate for that is important. Encouraging the right people to work together equals success in our experience.
Brook Freeman, Assistant Life Sciences Librarian, Purdue Libraries: Phrasing project goals in a way that makes sense to non-library staff is also essential. Library jargon is not the same as the language of university administrators and we’ve found it's important to craft project proposals in terms of your strategic plan and make them explicitly relevant to university-wide goals. 
In the twenty-first century, the Purdue University Libraries provide optimum access to and delivery of information to the Purdue University community, regardless of location, by utilizing sophisticated technologies, rather than serving as a major local repository. Expert staff instruct and assist the members of the Purdue community in becoming proficient and productive users of information — Purdue University Libraries Vision Statement, http://www.lib.purdue.edu
